Big Kahuna, Cumberland, MD, October 5-6, 2007

By Nate Wheeling, mattlux21.com contributing writer

Cumberland, MD; Matt Lux Racing hauled to “The Rock” Speedway, a giant 5/8 mile oval in Cumberland Maryland this past weekend to finish up the MACS season and attempt to wrap up the 2007 MACS Rookie of the Year title in two complete racing programs known together as the “Big Kahuna.”  The team knew the weekend would be a challenge, as the Big Kahuna always draws a stellar field of cars, and this would be the largest track Matt has ever raced on.

Not too surprisingly considering that Matt and company had never even seen The Rock prior to this weekend, it did not start out too well as Matt qualified 32^nd of the 51 cars signed in Friday night.  Unfortunately, the night would only get worse.  Matt started 8^th in the 4^th heat race and as the field barreled into turns one and two, pole sitter Bob Close spun in front of the field after contact with another car.  With nowhere to go, Matt was collected in the accident along with several others.  This would put “Blue” out of commission for the rest of the evening and the team was forced to unload “Green” and take a provisional to start the feature in the 24^th position.  With a combination of not having a great car, and a one-laned race track not conducive to passing, Matt made little progress in the feature.  The #21 was scored 17^th in the final rundown.

However, as usual, Matt and team learned quickly, and picked up the pace considerably Saturday.  The team was able to make the necessary front-end repairs so that “Blue” would get another chance to compete.  Matt’s first lap in qualifying appeared destined for the middle of the pack again has he slipped too high and lost time in turn one.  However on his second lap he hit his marks perfectly and turned in a lap of 20.294 seconds, which equates to over a 110mph average speed at the speedplant, good enough for a 12^th-place qualifying effort.  In his heat race, Matt took advantage of his outside front row starting position and was able to lead the first couple laps before Scott Haus motored by and drove away for the impressive victory.  However, Matt held on for a second place finish, giving him the 13^th starting position for the feature.

When the green flag flew for the 44-lap event, it was clear that Matt was competitive.  Using the inside lane of a track surface that actually had two grooves this night, he raced between 8^th and 14^th for the first several laps as positions changed quickly in a crowded pack.  Matt’s first bad break came on a restart when he was forced to restart in the high groove.  Matt slipped too high into the loose dirt on the outside of turns one and two and lost several positions.  By the time he finally got his rhythm back he was near the tail of the field.  Not to be denied however, Matt finally regrouped, and with the help of some attrition and a couple of late race caution flags, he marched his way all the way to 7^th place and actually was working to the inside of Rod Conley for 6^th in the final laps, only to come up a car length short of that position. 

Matt’s weekend was full of ups and downs, but in the end it was good enough to solidly secure the 5^th position in the MACS final point tally, and more importantly it earned him the Rookie of the Year title.  This was the team’s biggest goal back in January when they committed to the full MACS series, and after nine months and countless hours of hard work in the shop, their mission was accomplished.  Congratulations to Matt, Michael, Dave, Brad, and all of team MLR!

Even with that Rookie of the Year title in hand however, the team is not ready to call it a season quite yet.  Matt will return to Challenger Raceway this weekend, one year after he turned in the breakout performance of his career at last year’s Fall Fest.  This year the MLR team will look to prove that last year’s remarkable second place performance against the stellar 75+ car field was no fluke.  When the dust settles on Saturday, look for the #21 to be near the front of the field yet again.

MATT LUX RACING TEAM RACES WORLD 100 AT ELDORA SPEEDWAY

Rossburg, OH;  The World 100 at Eldora Speedway is the undisputed crown jewel of Dirt Late Model racing in the United States.  Each year, 200-plus cars trek to the farm country of Western Ohio for the opportunity to say that they made the final 28 at the World 100.  This year, 203 cars went through tech inspection.  One of those drivers, Matt Lux of Franklin, Pennsylvania, brought his eager crew to the famed half-mile with realistic expectations.

"Our goal was to just make a heat race," reflected Lux.  "After that, everything else would be a bonus.  You don't just show up to Eldora and conquer the place.  We wanted to keep the expectations low." 

The World 100 allows only the top 120 qualifiers to even take the green flag for the heat races.  The remaining "non-qualifiers" have the opportunity to run in one of the three 20 lap mains Friday evening, developed to reward those teams that will not be able to run a heat race on Saturday evening.  If there is an Achilles' Heel to the Matt Lux Team, it is that they have historically been mediocre qualifiers.  They will openly admit that their qualifying program must improve in order to have success at the larger events.  It would seem foolish, then, to tow all the way to Western Ohio to attempt to make a race that is built almost entirely around a qualifying lap.

Matt's first lap was recorded as a 16.975.  Not too shabby, considering Matt's experience on the Eldora oval consisted of nothing more than some laps on "Saturday Night Speedway".  His second lap showed improvement, tripping the clock at 16.799.  Early predictions from the Matt Lux camp had him with a good starting spot in one of the non-qualifiers races.  Obviously disappointed in the qualifying runs, the team set their sights on preparing the Rocket Chassis for an upcoming 20 lap feature.  However, when the lineups were posted, the AlturnaMats #21 did not appear in any of them.  Not knowing, or caring, of their place in qualifying at this time, the team could relax as they had successfully accomplished their goal of making a heat race at the World 100. 

The person that is drafted last in the NFL Draft is so humbly referred to as "Mr. Insignificant".  Well, I guess you could say that Matt was the 2007 World 100's "Mr. Insignificant" as he bagged the final, 120th qualifying spot. 

As rain pounded the entire region Saturday evening, it was clear that there would be no racing.  The plan was to wait out the rain and run the World 100 on Sunday afternoon. 

Sunny skies pounded the capacity crowd on Sunday afternoon for the 37th running of the World 100.  The surface conditions were going to be very dry and very slick; conditions that are very common to this event and very conducive to Matt's smooth right foot.  Matt took the green flag in the 16th position of the final heat of the day.  Watching Matt work the extreme bottom of the racetrack, picking off car after car was a thing of beauty.  Each lap, Matt drew closer to a qualifying position.  With two laps to go in the 15 lap heat race, Matt was up to 8th spot.  Traditionally, heat races at the World 100 are 20 laps in length.  Due to the need to move the program along, the heats were shortened to 15.  Matt sure could have used those extra five laps as he had put himself in position to knock off the next three cars:  Eric Smith, Shane Clanton, and Eddie Carrier, Jr.  Who knows, maybe he would have only needed two extra laps. 

Matt's stellar run in the heat earned him a spot in one of the two B Mains (only drivers who finish in positions 4 through 11 in their heat qualify for a B Main).  Matt started 15th in the B, needing to advance all the way up to 4th.  The list of drivers that stood in his way of making it to that 4th spot includes: Billy Drake, Brad Neat, Rick Eckert, Vic Hill, Tim Hitt, Chad Ruhlman, Bart Hartman, Brian Shirley, Carrier, Don O'Neal, John Gill, Josh McGuire, Clanton, and several other studs of the dirt track.

Instantly, Matt took off like a ball of fire, passing at least one car each lap.  Around lap 8, Matt was in sixth position doing battle with Ruhlman and Tim Hitt.  Up ahead, coming out of turn two, Clanton broke and slowed on the backstretch.  As Clanton attempted to direct his car to the bottom of the track to pull pitside, he sent the trio of drivers behind him scrambling to avoid contacting the #25.  All three avoided crashing, although there was definitely contact between Ruhlman and Clanton.  Matt checked up and fell back from the other two drivers.  After the near altercation, Matt was never able to advance any positions.  Matt and Ruhlman did manage to put on a nice side-by-side battle for several laps, with Ruhlman edging him in the end. 

Matt's official finish was 7th, drastically exceeding the expectations of the team.  "We were very happy with how things turned out this weekend," added Lux.  "Once we were in the heat race, we just wanted to advance some positions and not get lapped.  It was a good experience.  We got to meet some very nice people as well as see some of our friends from back home.  I want to thank all of the people that wished us well and were rooting for us...it means a lot." 

Congratulations to Matt, Michael, Dave, and Brad on a fine showing against the best that Late Model racing has to offer...you made us all very proud.  The team now sets their sights on the conclusion of the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series.  With four events remaining, the team sits in fourth place in points.  The next MACS weekend will take place on September 21 and 22 in Ohio at Hilltop Speedway and Skyline Speedway.

TEAM PREPARES FOR HUGE MACS WEEKEND

Franklin, PA; The M3 Auto Sports Super Dirt Late Model team, piloted by Franklin, Pennsylvania’s Matt Lux, heads into Labor Day Weekend seeking to break a recent string of bad luck.  Currently occupying 6^th place in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series’ points, the team is well aware that this weekend could be the make or break point of the MACS points chase.  Entering the most recent MACS race at Virginia Motor Speedway, the team sat fourth in the overall points standings.  However, a disappointing 14^th place finish dropped them to their current position in sixth.

“We were pretty disappointed with our showing at VMS,” commented the 7^th year Super Late Model driver.  “We qualified well, had a good starting spot in the qualifier, but just couldn’t get it done.” 

Lux started the first 25 lap qualifier outside the front row alongside Gettysburg’s Jeremy Miller.  Lux and Miller raced away from the field early in the race, but on lap 5 the AlturnaMats, Equipment World Magazine, Dica Outrigger Pads, #21 Rocket Chassis began to fade.  The team qualified well enough to make the 50 lap finale, but could only advance one spot from their 15^th starting position.

Frustrated with their performance, the team was able to locate the result of the ill-handling racecar that plagued them at VMS. 

“We broke the bar that goes from the bottom frame rail to the lift bar,” explained crew chief, Michael Gierlach (as he attempts to simplify the terminology for the author).  “So the lift bar was flopping all over the place.  This will cause an extreme loose condition, which was exactly what Matt said was wrong with the car.  We are very fortunate not to have lost a driveshaft because there was one hell of a groove wore in it.” 

When tracing the approximate time that the failure would have occurred, Gierlach confirmed that it happened early in the qualifier. 

“I am pretty sure this happened around lap 5 of the qualifier.  According to lap times, we were about even with Miller and they both were about a half second faster than anyone else.  Then, after lap 5, we were a half second slower!”

Lux echoed Gierlach’s assessment and added: “I would have liked to see how the car would have gone…it felt very good early.  It was just careless on our part to not catch the problem before the feature.  We are thankful that the thing stayed together because the driveshaft was nearly cut all the way through.”

With the events of August 18^th behind them, the team must now focus their attention to the Labor Day Weekend.  The three day MACS swing will feature $5,000-to-win shows at Lernerville Speedway on Friday and Portsmouth Raceway Park on Saturday.   The weekend culminates with a $10,000-to-win finale at PRP on Sunday evening. 

Gierlach remains optimistic about the team’s chances despite the recent misfortunes.  When asked about his goals for the weekend, his response was full of confidence.

“The plan is to win all three nights and come home with 20 grand!  What else would be the plan?  Seriously, I would like top 5’s every night.  I would be happy with that.”

The team will race the blue Rocket Chassis on Friday evening at Lernerville Speedway and debut the newly-lettered green Rocket at PRP on Saturday.  Lux seemed very pleased with the new look on the green car.

“Chris does such a nice job with the graphics,” said Lux of Chris McCool from Slippery Rock Sportswear.  “He has a great eye for what looks nice on the track.  We are happy to have him as part of the team.”

Green has certainly been an unlucky color of late as the team has lost two engines in back-to-back weeks in the older Rocket.  One of the motors made a trip back to Somerset, Kentucky to the Cornett shop for repair.  The motor is expected to be back in the green car in time for Saturday’s race at PRP.

“We are racing the blue car at Lernerville on Friday night because it has been more proven there this year,” said Matt, referring to the two wins and multiple top fives aboard the ’06 Rocket.  “We expect the track to be pretty slick and we feel more comfortable with that car when it is slick.  Although, since I wasn’t there last week, I’m not sure what to expect with the new clay that was laid down.”

After a week of not racing, the team is anxious to get back to the track.  Friday evening's show promises to be entertaining.  Don’t forget to pick up some Matt Lux Racing t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats.  Merchandise can be purchased from the following vendors: MACS souvenir trailer, Ray’s Racing Specialties trailer, in the pits at the Matt Lux trailer, or online at www.mattlux21.com. 

M3 Auto Sports would like to thank the following sponsors for their support:  AlturnaMats, Equipment World Magazine, DICA Outrigger Pads, Maloney Tool and Mold, Gierlach Crushing and Contracting, Hilltop Beverage, and Fame RV Center.      
 

DISAPPOINTING WEEKEND FOR MLR TEAM

Pittsburgh, Pa;  When the back-up engine was lost last weekend at Lernerville Speedway, the team was put in quite a bind.  A busy week awaited them, with two Lernerville shows and an important MACS race in Saluda, Virginia.  After much deliberation, the team decided to run Blue on Thursday, Green on Friday, and Blue again on Saturday in Virginia.  In order for the team to be able to race Green, they needed to bring in the third string motor; the very motor that failed to allow Matt to finish a heat race the first two times out this year. 

Thursday night at Lernerville featured NASCAR stars, Tony Stewart and Ken Schrader, racing against the locals for a $3000 show.  Matt qualified 15th fast out of the 40 cars in attendance, placing him outside second row for the heat race.  Matt raced to a third place finish behind Stewart, piloting his own Bass Pro Shops, Rocket Chassis, #20 and David Scott.  The feature was exciting as the field of 24 cars did battle on a very racy surface.  Matt moved from his 7th starting spot to 4th around lap 5, setting his sights on the leaders.  Chub Frank was able to slip past Matt on the bottom of turn 1 on a restart.  Long runs seemed to be good for the car as Matt worked the low side of the track, appearing to be on his way to the top 3.  However, on the lap 17 restart, Matt missed his mark in turn 1 and was immediately swallowed up by the talented field.  Matt completed lap 18 in the 13th position.  Rather than risking damage to the car, Matt pulled pitside and was scored with a 20th place finish. 

Frantically, the team was able to put the Malcuit engine in the car just in time to make it to Lernerville to run the heat race on Friday evening.  Unfortunately, all of the questions regarding the motor were answered as the motor went up in smoke on lap 6 of the heat race.  For the second consecutive week, the team lost a motor at Lernerville Speedway. 

Attempting to forget about the woes that plagued them at Lernerville, the team set off on a 7 hour trek to Saluda, Virginia for the MACS-sanctioned USA 100.  Thirty five late models signed in to Bill Sawyer's Virginia Motor Speedway on Saturday evening.  Matt qualified an impressive 11th place, considering he had never visited the super-fast oval.  The format was different from the traditional heat race - B Mains - A Main sequence.  The trademark of the USA 100 is that heat races are replaced with two 25 lap features with the top 12 in each making up the field for the final 50 lap, $10,000 to win show.

Matt started the first feature outside of the front row alongside Gettysburg's Jeremy Miller.  At the drop of the green, Matt appeared to be the class of the field.  Matt took off and led the first four laps of the feature.  However, the car was clearly not hooked up the way that it needed to be as Miller and David Williams both slipped past Matt on lap 5.  Matt continued to descend as he fought an ill-handling racecar.  He was able hold on for an 8th place finish, earning him a spot in the big 50-lapper.

Matt took the green in the 15th position, but was only able to advance one spot at the end of 50 laps.  The 14th place finish, coupled with excellent runs for Mike Balzano (2nd) and Jimmy Bernheisel (4th) will slip Matt to sixth in the overall MACS points standings.  The team will look to rebound in two weeks as the MACS features a three day tour that includes Matt's home track, Lernerville Speedway. 

MLR TEAM GRABS WIN #2 OF THE SEASON

Sarver, Pa;  It wasn't easy.  Analyzing the box score the next day, one might think that the 25 lap feature at Lernerville Speedway was a yawner.  However, for the MLR Team, the win was anything but easy.  Matt started the feature on the outside of the front row alongside Greg Satterlee in the #22.  Matt was able to use the high side of turns one and two to put the AlturnaMats #21 Rocket Chassis out front at the end of the first lap.  Fourth starting Jared Miley, piloting the #H1, was able to settle into second at the end of lap 1.  And that's how the race ended...no sweat.  Actually, Miley was not going to settle for his third straight runner-up finish at Lernerville without putting up a serious fight. 

Flash back to the '06 season opener where Miley scored his career-first Late Model win.  For 10 laps, Matt dogged Miley for the lead.  Miley never bobbled and Matt eventually dropped out due to motor problems.  The roles were reversed this night as Matt was the guy in Miley's crosshairs.  Lap after lap, restart after restart, Miley applied pressure to Matt as they both worked the quickly disappearing cushion of the super-slick Lernerville Speedway.  Matt could pull away from Miley coming out of turn two, but Miley was all over Matt through turns three and four.  The last of many cautions occurred on lap 16, with Satterlee in third, Alex Ferree in fourth, and Lynn Geisler rounding out the top 5.  Lapped traffic became a factor in the last four laps forcing Matt to change his line.  Matt had to go to the bottom entering turn three on lap 22, sliding to the top across the slippery surface.  Miley was unable to capitalize as he, too, had to leave his preferred groove.  Miley made one final attempt to get around Matt as he dove to the inside of turn 3 on the last circuit, grabbing the lead momentarily .  Unfortunately for Miley, there was no bite to be had in the middle of the track.  Matt used his momentum from the high side to drive to the win, crossing the line 0.35 seconds ahead of Miley.  Satterlee beat Ferree to the line and Geisler was able to hold onto fifth place.

Congratulations to the team on the victory.  After a frustrating weekend one week prior, this was a nice rebound.  The win places the team firmly in the third position in Lernerville points, behind Ferree and Gary Lyle.  Until Friday...    

JULY COMES TO A CLOSE

The plan this year was to get out and do a lot more racing.  Since Matt retired from racing the Modified at the end of the '06 season, this plan was certainly more obtainable.  Checking out last season's stats shows that the team made 29 Late Model starts during the entire '06 season.  This Friday at Lernerville will be the team's 29th start of the '07 season.  The boys certainly have been doing some racing. 

It was kind of a disappointing weekend in the Matt Lux Racing camp.  Despite an impressive heat race victory on Friday at Lernerville, the team was not satisfied with their fourth place run in the feature.  Matt started 11th in the feature but did not really go forward until late in the race.  He was able to use a late caution to advance from 6th to 4th at the finish line.  The team traveled to Sharon on Saturday to compete against the World of Outlaw Late Models.  Sharon continues to perplex the team as they were unable to qualify for the A Main.

Unfortunately, Friday's run seems to be a microcosm of their entire season.  Frustration sets in when results are not meeting expectations.  The team can win these races; Matt knows it and so does the entire team.  Transport back to August of 2006.  The team entered August in a similar position.  There were some highs along the way, but the team had not achieved the success that they knew they were capable of at this point of the season.  Things turned around in August as Matt was arguably the hottest driver on the local Western Pennsylvania circuits.  The team captured a World of Outlaws top 5, collected a win, and raced to a photo-finish second all at Lernerville.  As August turned into September, the team nailed top fives while racing against the ULMS (Mckean Co.) and ALMS (Fremont).  The season culminated with a 3rd and a 2nd at Challenger Raceway's Fall Fest XII. 

So, don't count them out just yet.  The team has been a top 5 machine at Lernerville the past two months.  Green is back from its trip to Shinnston, West Virginia and ready to be beat around.  Blue shows signs of greatness and is making a case to be the #1 in the MLR stable.  Racing is a frustrating hobby; just when you think you got it all figured out, it reminds you that you need to think again.  The team will keep plugging away (and all the other tired clichés that you can think of) in hopes to get back on track.  See you at the races.   

Hagerstown 60^th Anniversary – WoO – 7/21/07

By Nate Wheeling, mattlux21.com contributing writer

Hagerstown, Md;  Matt, Michael, and the #21 team made the long tow to Hagerstown, MD on Saturday to compete in Hagerstown Speedway’s 60^th Anniversary race – a 60-lap, $12,000 event sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.  A stout field of 46 strong competitors signed in for the event.  Between the WoO drivers and the highly respected Hagerstown area regional drivers, there were no slouches in the field.  The MLR team knew this all too well entering the event, having failed to qualify for the WoO race at Hagerstown in June, which featured a similar field of cars. 

After damaging the green car the previous night at Lernerville (even though he managed to finish 3^rd), Matt would pilot “Blue” this evening.  After looking strong in hot laps, the team failed to keep up with a rapidly drying track in qualifying, and ended up in the 28^th position, placing them 7^th on the starting grid in the 4^th heat race.  However, it became clear on the first lap of the heat that the team had figured out the setup.  Matt was able to get a great bite on the inside of turn two to dart into 5^th on the opening lap, and he quickly set his sights on Todd Andrews for the coveted 4^th and final transfer position.  In just one more lap he was able to take that position; however by this time it was clear that Jason Covert, who has been red-hot all over the East Coast of late, would be a factor as well.  Covert was able to pass Andrews and reel Matt in, sweeping around the outside to make the pass just a few laps from the finish.  Matt would finish 5th behind surprising teenager Keith Jackson, perennial WoO contender Clint Smith, Ricky Elliott and Covert. This would force Matt to run the B-Main, where he would start on the outside of the front row.  Matt would race door-to-door with Hagerstown regular Marvin Winters for the first lap, before taking the lead and streaking off to a comfortable win!  This would place him 18^th on the starting grid for the main event.

Matt was able to hold his own throughout the feature on a track that had begun to “lock down” to the inside groove, making it difficult to pass.  Matt did manage to pick up a few positions to 14^th and at one point was pressuring Rick Eckert for the 13^th position.  Matt would say after the race that his right front tire began to wear in the closing laps of the race, forcing him to settle for a respectable 14^th-place finish.  “Kid Rocket” Josh Richards led all 60 laps of the feature event and was followed across the stripe by Clint Smith and Jason Covert, who continued to flex his muscle by charging from 16^th to 3^rd in the feature despite track conditions that precluded anyone except Covert and Shane Clanton (who moved from 13^th to 5^th) from making many passes.  

MLR will be back in action this Friday at Lernerville Speedway and again on Saturday at Sharon Speedway where they will be competing against the World of Outlaws for the 2^nd time in as many weeks.  This will be the team’s first visit to the Hartford, Ohio oval this season.  Even though Matt has collected multiple wins at the new Sharon Speedway aboard Scott Bidwell’s EMod, the team has struggled in past visits to Sharon in the Late Model.

MATT CHARGES TO FRONT IN LERNERVILLE DEMO DERBY  (7-20-07)

Sarver, Pa;  Not even two laps into the heat race on Friday night at Lernerville Speedway, it appeared that the MLR Team was going to be finished for the evening.  A spinning car in turn three sent Matt out over the turn, sliding uncontrollably through the mud toward the catch fence.  The right rear of the car slammed the guard rail, swinging the right front around to impact the rail as well.  The car went off on the hook as the crew readied to evaluate the damage.  It didn't look good as it was obvious the chassis had been bent up pretty significantly.  Always the racers, however, the crew thrashed on the car in hopes to qualify through the B Main.

Starting scratch in the B, Matt worked his way into a qualifying position behind Keith Barbara, piloting the Drew Koteles #64, and Lernerville regular, Mike Blose.  Matt took the green flag in the 19th spot of the A Main and cautiously avoided the carnage that ensued.  The bottom was the more favorable line, but Matt worked the high side and middle, attempting to advance forward.  On lap 17, Matt was running in 10th position, with Alex Ferree comfortably out in the lead from his third starting spot.  Several cautions allowed Matt to work through the top ten, making it to the top five on lap 21.  Matt was able to get by Dave Murdick and third-place running Ken Schaltenbrand in time for a caution on lap 23.  Matt restarted on the outside on lap 23, hoping to make a move around 2nd-place car Jared Miley to have a shot at Ferree, a 6-time winner at the Sarver oval this season.  Miley was able to get up and slow Matt's momentum enough on the restart to hold him at bay and relegate him to a third place finish.  Ferree went on to win his 7th of the season, followed by Miley, Matt, Schaltenbrand, and Murdick.

It was a good run considering the start of the evening, but the car suffered severe damage.  Aside from extreme cosmetic damage, the chassis will need to be repaired.  "Green" is scheduled to go meet his maker this week as the chassis will make a somber homecoming to the Rocket Chassis headquarters in Shinnston, WV.  The crew hopes to have the car back and ready to race in a couple of weeks.
 

MLR CAPTURES A 7TH PLACE FINISH AT BEDFORD SPEEDWAY (7-13-07)

Bedford, PA;  Race number five of the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Championship Series (MACS) tour touched down at the Bedford Fairgrounds in Bedford, Pennsylvania.  Forty-two Super Late Models were in attendance, attempting to tackle the blazing fast 1/2 mile and capture the $5000 top prize.  Jeremy Miller set fast time on the night with a qualifying lap of 20.43 seconds.  Matt ran a solid 2nd qualifying lap, turning a 20.92, good enough to earn 14th fast time. 

By virtue of the qualifying run, Matt started outside pole of the fifth heat race.  Alongside Matt on the pole was racing legend Gary Stuhler, from Greencastle, PA. The second row was made up of D.J. Myers and Bedford point leader and former track champion, Jack Pencil.  Rod Conley occupied the fifth starting spot in what was clearly a loaded heat race.  The green flag dropped and Matt immediately shot into the lead down the front stretch.  Lap after lap, Matt steadily worked the tight corners and lengthened his lead on Stuhler, who was under heavy pressure from D.J. Myers.  Myers eventually overtook Stuhler for the runner-up spot when the yellow flag waved on lap six.  After the restart, Matt fought off several attempts by Myers to take the lead, eventually pulling away to capture his first MACS heat race victory of 2007.  Myers slowed on the last 1/2 lap with mechanical problems, but was still able to finish third and advance to the feature.

Piloting the schizophrenic "Blue", Matt reflected on the heat race.  "I'm glad I could finally let this thing breathe," said Matt, referring to the Cornett powerplant under the hood.  "As soon as I got it pointed straight, I could put it to the wood and it really went!" 

Unfortunately for the MLR Team, had Myers not advanced to the feature, Matt would have been the next car invited to the 8 car dash to determine the first four rows of the feature.  The damage to Myers' car was severe enough to warrant him taking the mandatory green flag in the dash and pulling pitside immediately with a disabled car.  Rick Eckert cruised to the 8 lap dash victory with Bo Feathers coming home second.

Matt was scheduled to start the feature in the 11th position, but Myers opted to the tail, moving the Franklin driver up one position on the starting grid.  The AlturnaMats, Equipment World Magazine, DICA Outrigger Pads, Maloney Tool and Mold, Cornett-powered, Rocket Chassis #21 advanced up to the 8th position after several laps when a caution slowed the field.  A Delaware restart placed Matt on the inside for the restart.  Unfortunately, the high side was the place to be on the start as Matt slipped back three positions by the time the cars were able to fall back in line.  Another caution on lap 19 would again find Matt restarting on the inside as he advanced back into the top 10. 

Disaster nearly struck on the restart as one of the lead cars did not go upon command, causing a domino-effect of collisions back through the field.  Matt, unfortunately had no where to go and was turned around in the melee, coming to a stop on pit road. 

Matt commented on the wreck, saying: "I was just watching Robbie (Blair) in front of me.  His car lifted, so I went.  But he had to hit the breaks, so I slammed the breaks and got hit.  It was a big mess with cars going everywhere."

Fortuitously, Matt was awarded his spot back in line for the pending restart.  For the last thirty laps of the race, Matt engaged in some tight battles with Josh Richards, Nick Dickson, Scott Rhodes, and eventually, Greg Fetters. 

"The car was good on long runs," said Matt after the race.  "My right front tire was going away a little, so it was hard for me to drive it into the turns the way that I wanted."

Matt, running in 7th, could get close to Fetters, but not close enough to make the pass.  The result was Matt coming home with a 7th place finish.

Feathers was the class of the field the entire race, leading all fifty laps to capture his first-ever MACS victory.  Miller came home second, followed by Eckert, Jason Covert, and Blair.  Richards, Blair, Jeff Rine, and Dickson were the other heat race winners.

Commenting on his first visit to the Bedford oval, Matt concluded that " I really like this place.  I was having fun out there." 

The 7th place finish, coupled with placing slightly ahead of Jim Bernheisel and Mike Balzano, and Jack Pencil's mechanical DNF, bumped Matt up to tie with Bernheisel for fourth place in the MACS standings.  The next MACS event is over a month away as the boys will travel to Saluda, Virginia for the Tour USA 100 $10,000 to win show. 

Matt Lux Racing will be back in action at Lernerville Speedway on July 20th.  See you there!   
 

DISAPPOINTING EVENING AT LERNERVILLE ENDS IN DNF (7-6-07)

Sarver, Pa;  With just one race scheduled for the weekend, the team wanted to make the most of Friday's "Christmas in July" at Lernerville Speedway.  Matt and crew decided to give Green a much needed rest after the Firecracker 100 and the Eriez MACS shows.  Blue made its first appearance since a 6th place run at Hesston almost two weeks ago.  The struggles continue with the '06 Rocket Chassis.

Matt started on the outside pole of his heat race and led the first four laps before a familiar foe, Alex Ferree, was able to execute the winning pass.  Matt came home in second, ahead of Gary Lyle and Nick Jones.  Other heat races were won by John Mollick and Keith Barbara. 

Lernerville's rules require the previous week's winner to start in the 12th spot for the feature.  Sam Stile and Mollick led the field to the green flag as 21 Super Late Models prepared to do battle for 25 laps.  The initial stages of the race were polluted with numerous cautions, forcing double-file restarts.  Eventually some green flag laps were run, allowing Matt to work his way into the fifth position by lap 6.  Matt and a fading Stile did battle for many laps, continuously swapping positions. 

Matt took advantage of a squirrelly lap car to slip past a couple of cars on lap 15, stealing the third spot.  A timely caution slowed the field and placed Matt restarting on the inside of the second row behind race leader, Barbara, and Greg Satterlee.  On the restart, Lyle tangled with Matt entering turn one.  The contact was enough to drop Matt back to the 7th position.  From that point, Matt had a right front tire going down.  His race ended on lap 19 as he limped the car into the pits, ending his evening.  Matt was officially scored with a 15th place finish.

Matt and crew will take the remainder of the weekend off to repair a couple of damaged racecars.  They will be back in action on Friday, July 13th at Bedford Speedway for a MACS race.  Matt is currently 7th in the MACS standings.        

MLR TEAM NOTCHES A TOP 10 MACS RUN AT ERIEZ

Erie, Pa;  The Mid-Atlantic Championship Series' first visit to Eriez Speedway attracted thirty five Super Late Models on a beautiful July evening.  Matt began the night by posting a solid 7th place qualifying lap, placing him third in his heat race.  Where he started was where he finished in the action-packed heat race, highlighted by several cautions and lots of tore up sheet metal. 

Unfortunately, Matt started the dash to determine the start for the A Main 8th out of 8 cars.  With nothing to lose, the team experimented with a different setup, but the result was an 8th place finish. 

The 50 lap A Main featured several close calls as Matt avoided two potential race-ending cautions.  With the bottom groove being the preferred route around the track, Matt settled nicely into a rhythm on the low side in sixth place.  The top 6 cars checked out on the rest of the field until a lap 45 caution flag.  Matt had one more chance to push into the top 5, but it was not going to happen as he crossed the line in sixth place. 

"I'm happy to get out of here with a 6th place finish," Matt reflected after the race.  "We really didn't know what to expect with this place since I have never been here before.  We'll take it." 

Although Matt did not advance any positions in the overall point standings, he did close the gap between him, Jim Berheisel, and Mike Balzano.  The MACS will next be in action on Friday, July 13th at Bedford Speedway.
   

POOR QUALIFYING RUN SPOILS FIRECRACKER 100 BID (6-30-07)

Sarver, Pa;  Sixty cars logged a qualifying time for the inaugural Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway.  Fifty of those cars turned a better lap than the AlturnaMats, Equipment World Magazine, DICA Outrigger Pads, Cornett-powered, Rocket #21 driven by Matt Lux.  Unfortunately, that poor qualifying run would prevent Matt from making the 28 car A Main field. 

Matt started his heat race in 9th position and crossed the line in 7th place.  The 7th place finish in his heat placed him in the 8th starting spot for the  B Main.  The car was good, but not good enough as Matt crossed the line in 6th.  Had there been a few cautions in the race, Matt may have had a chance to get up front and challenge the leaders.

One of the unique components of the Firecracker is the Uncle Sam 30; a non-qualifiers race paying $3,000 to the winner.  Matt started the Uncle Sam 30 in fifth alongside eventual race-winner, Josh McGuire from Ashland, Kentucky.  Matt ran the majority of the race in the top 6.  Race leader, McGuire and second place running Jared Miley were using the high side of the super-slick track.  Matt was finally able to shed Ken Schaltenbrand on lap 16, moving him into fourth.  Setting his sights on Jason Covert, Matt was able to slip by the 2006 MACS Champion a few laps later.  McGuire still had the lead, but he was under heavy pressure from the next three cars.  A restart on lap 25 allowed Chad Ruhlman to join the battle up front.  Ruhlman and McGuire skated around the top of the track while Matt lurked on the bottom in search of some bite.  The top three entertained the crowd for the remainder of the race, with McGuire taking the win, Ruhlman finishing in the runner-up spot, and Matt finishing third.

"This Uncle Sam race is a neat deal," commented Matt following the race.  "We dug such a hole for ourselves in qualifying that it's nice to be rewarded for not making the big show.

Obviously disappointed at not making the A Main at his home track, Matt was satisfied with the eventual outcome.  "We're happy with how we ran in the heat, the B, and the Uncle Sam.  We at least went forward in those races, which is encouraging with such a stout field of cars."
 

FIRST WIN OF SEASON COMES IN FIRECRACKER TUNE-UP (6-22-07)

Sarver, Pa; There was no roof dance, no fist pump, or other overt signs of elation.  In fact, Matt said very little while sitting in victory lane, unbuckling the straps, being greeted by crew and family.   Had one not just witnessed Matt's impressive win moments earlier, they might assume that he had just scored another routine top 10 finish.  The feelings of excitement were most likely overtaken by the rush of relief that passed through both driver and crew.  Relief that is rooted in two months of frustration with a new car that has been anything but cooperative.     

"Blue" was supposed to be the ace in the hole, the can't miss, the franchise, the rock.  The new chassis with the best components powered by one of Mr. Cornett's finest creations was going to be a contender each time it pulled out on the track.  Unfortunately, perception has not translated into reality so far this season. 

The crew hit rock bottom two weeks ago at Lernerville Speedway.  Matt vaulted from the 10th position in the feature on lap three to third place on lap 9 and appeared to be on his way to the first win of the season for the team.  That was as far as Matt could advance as the car worsened throughout the last half of the race.  Matt limped home with a disappointing sixth place finish. 

"We have really struggled to get forward bite into this car," said Lux, referring to the new chassis.  "We have no confidence in this car."

This past week the crew made some structural changes to the car in what could have ended up being Blue's last go around.  If the heat race was any indication of how the night would go, the crew was in for another frustrating night.  Matt needed to make a desperate, all-out pass at the flagstand just to make the invert to start in the top 6 rows.

Desperate to make the car go forward in the feature, Michael made wholesale changes to the setup after the heat race.  In what can be described as "changing everything but the number," he hit on something as the car flat-out worked in the feature. 

In his typical, patient fashion, Matt methodically worked his way to the front of the pack.  The winning moves were made on a lap 11 restart as Matt was able to overtake Alex Ferree coming out of turn two and Davey Johnson coming out of turn four.  Ferree glided back into second on lap 13 and the stage was set for another dramatic battle between the two stars. 

Matt used some clever restart tactics to hold off the heavy-footed Ferree and pull away from the field for his first victory of the season.  The end result was a near two second victory and some much needed confidence going into the biggest weekend of the year at Lernerville Speedway.

Matt will be back in action this Wednesday at Stateline Speedway in Busti, NY before returning home to Lernerville for the weekend.

Don't forget to purchase your Matt Lux Racing gear.  The gear is available in the grandstand merchandise area as well as in the pits in the Lux Racing trailer.
 

Another 2nd Place Finish For MLR Team (6-1-07)

Sarver, Pa;  The Matt Lux Racing Team returned to their home track of Lernerville Speedway this past Friday evening after being on the road with the MACS tour the weekend prior.  The evening began the way the previous visit to Lernerville Speedway ended: Alex Ferree executed the winning pass over Matt on the final lap.  The good news was that this was only the heat race.  The green car was bad fast as Matt recorded the fastest time of any Late Model all evening.  By virtue of the second place finish, Matt qualified for the pill draw.  Another good pill put Matt on the outside pole for the feature event alongside Mike Blose, currently second in Lernerville points.

It seems to be customary for the #21 team to begin the feature a little sluggish, only to come on like a rabid dog late in the race.  Friday was no exception as Matt found himself sitting all the way back in 7th after only four laps.  Cautions played a huge role in this descent as the outside row held a distinct advantage on restarts.  The high side of turns one and two was the place to be.  The bottom of turns one and two, where Matt has feasted the last two seasons, made an ice-skating rink seem tacky.  Matt kept battling on the bottom side as car after car went high in turns one and two.

"I knew that there wasn't much on the bottom, but I didn't want to follow everyone else to the high side," commented Lux.  "Plus, that cushion was rough and I wasn't sure that I could consistently run the high side."

Blose, the race leader, brought out a caution on lap 4 with a spin coming out of turn four, handing the lead to Waterford, PA's Dave Hess, Jr.  The caution would move Matt to sixth and allow him to restart on the high side for the famous Lernerville double-file restarts.  Matt powered the AlturnaMats #21 off the high side of turn two and into the fourth spot.  Two laps later, Matt moved into third place after passing Sammy Stile.  Second place car, Jared Hawkins brought out another caution as he broke on the front stretch on lap 7.  Matt was now set to restart in the unpopular second hole beside Hess, Jr, who was not about to relinquish his high side starting spot.  Miraculously, Matt was able to hold 2nd on the restart and for three laps until another caution slowed the field.  On the restart, Stile overtook Matt for the runner-up spot and began his pursuit of Hess. 

After falling back as far as fourth (lap 18), Matt eventually worked his way back into second on the 20th circuit.  Numerous restarts gave Matt opportunities to get past Hess, but he was unable to get enough of a run off the bottom of turn two to beat Hess into turn three.  With three laps to go, Matt bolted to the high side of turns one and two and glued himself to Hess's bumper as the two popular racers pulled down the backstretch.  Hess, like Matt, wanted the bottom side of turns three and four, forcing Matt to try the high side to make a pass.  A white flag caution would give Matt one more shot at the win.  Matt tried to execute a similar move to the one that got him two weeks prior, but was unable to do so.  The result was a second consecutive 2nd place finish.  Nick Jones came home in third ahead of Ferree and Stile. 

Matt will be back at Lernerville as the team continues to try to dial in the cars for the upcoming Firecracker 100.  

MACS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Night 1:  Skyline Speedway (5-25-07)

Stewart, OH;  Forty-nine Super Late Models were in attendance to open the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series 2007 season at Skyline, Speedway in Southeastern, Ohio.  Matt qualified 11th fastest with a first lap time of 15.07 seconds.  MACS rules use an "invert four" format for the heat races.  As a result, Matt would be starting outside the front row of the first heat; a heat which placed Delmas Conley on pole, Matt outside pole, Mike Balzano and Rick Aukland (fast qualifier) in row two, and Eddie Carrier, Jr. and Jim Bernheisel making up row three.  The bottom of the racetrack appeared to be the preferred line, although some drivers would have success running the second and third grooves up.  Matt was able to slide in behind Conley off of turn two ahead of Balzano and Aukland.  A caution on lap 2 forced a Delaware restart.  Matt made the bottom groove go as he worked under Conley coming out of two, pulling beside the veteran racer from Wheelersburg, OH.  Conley was able to take command of the lead by the flagstand and lead the remaining 7 laps en route to the heat race victory.  Matt drove home comfortably in second, with Aukland edging Balzano for the final qualifying position. 

By virtue of qualifying out of his heat and three racers with faster qualifying times not qualifying, Matt earned a spot in the dash to determine the first four rows of the feature.  Matt started third behind another Conley, Rod, and "Fast" Freddy Carpenter from Parkersburg, WV.  Matt made quick work of Carpenter, but Steve Shaver climbed the track and made the top side go, eventually overtaking Matt for the second spot.  Conley, Shaver, and Matt seperated themselves from the rest of the pack and engaged in an entertaining three-way battle lead for the right to start on pole of the "Stars and Stripes 50".  Conley was the meat in the sandwich as Shaver dogged Conley on the high side and Matt relentlessly worked under his left rear quarter panel.  Conley managed to hold his lead by the slimmest of margins to take the victory with "Showtime" Shaver finishing second, and Matt coming home in third. 

Tire selection would prove to be the difference maker in the 50 lap A Main.  By feature time, the track was slick and black from bottom to top.  The team made a last minute change to go harder on tires than they had initially planned.  The choice proved to be costly.  Right from the start, the car would not go forward.  It was evident that the tires were not firing.  Several early cautions did not help Matt create heat in the tires to allow them to fire.  The A main was a painful 50 laps for Matt as he dropped to twelfth by the finish.  It was a tough pill to swallow...entering the feature with a legitimate shot at the $5000 top prize, but slipping out of the top ten at the finish.  The team will look to rebound as they head off to Portsmouth Raceway Park for the second of three legs of the MACS Memorial Day weekend.  

Night 2: Portsmouth Raceway Park (5-26-07)    

Portsmouth, OH;  The next stop for on the MACS tour brought the boys to Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio.  Making just his second appearance at the Southern Ohio speedplant, Matt scored a thirteenth place finish in an action-packed evening.

Hot laps brought an inauspicious beginning to the evening, setting the tone that the crew was in for a long night.  Entering turn one of his second lap, Matt ran into a hole on the track, mangling the bumper and nose piece beyond repair (see photos below).  Without an extra bumper or nose piece in the hauler, the crew was forced to unload the blue car to qualify.  Without enough time to adjust the car, Matt qualified a disappointing 27th, resulting in a 7th place start in the heat race.  The car worked better in the heat race, but Matt was still on the outside looking in as he finished fifth in the heat, one place out of the transfer spot. 

Starting outside front row of the B Main, Matt went toe-to-toe with Winfield, Tennessee's Mike Marlar for the duration of the twelve laps.  Matt worked the bottom of the racetrack as Marlar sailed around the cushion, which had been pushed way up the track in turns three and four.  At the line, Matt edged Marlar by a car length, setting the team up for a good run in the A main.

The A main was filled with excitement as 24 of the best drivers around tried every line around the 3/8 mile oval in search of the fastest groove.  Matt found his niche on the bottom of the track, cranking the Cornett hard as he consistently picked off cars on his way up to 11th place.  Misfortune struck again, however, on lap 28 as Matt cut his right front tire; the result of the car dumping hard on the right side upon entry of turns one and three.  Matt's disabled vehicle brought out the caution and bought the crew two courtesy pace laps to repair the flat.  The crew did a fantastic job of replacing the tire, allowing Matt to tail the field without losing any laps.  Matt rejoined the field in the 16th position as several cars had been lost to mechanical failures.  Matt immediately began working on John Mason and Mike Balzano, passing both with an aggressive three-wide, thread-the-needle move coming out of turn four.  Unfortunately, the tires on the AlturnaMats #21 Rocket Chassis began to fade away and Matt's move towards the top ten was halted in the thirteenth position.

Night 3:  Central Pennsylvania Speedway (5-27-07)

Clearfield, PA; Matt qualified the AlturnaMats, Equipment World Magazine, DICA Outrigger Pads, Maloney Tool and Mold sponsored #21 Rocket Chassis in the fifteenth position in his first ever visit to the Clearfield, PA oval.  The traditional MACS invert four would place Matt in the second starting spot of the last heat race.  Matt rocketed from the 2-hole at the drop of the green, distancing himself from the rest of the field.  Jeremy Miller moved into second place on lap 3 and began his pursuit of the blue and red #21.  Miller found a groove off the bottom of turn two that allowed him to reel in Matt with each passing lap.  Coming out of turn two on the tenth lap, Miller catapulted down the back stretch and into the lead.  Matt led for 9 1/2 laps, but Miller gets credited with the victory.  Matt would start the A main in 12th. 

Unable to hit the right combination in the feature, Matt struggled his way to an 11th place finish in the 50 lap feature.  It appeared that the evening was shaping up to be the "Ricky Elliot Show" as the converted Big-Block Modified driver set fast time, dominated his heat, and won the dash.  Elliot, surprising nobody in attendance, shot out to the lead in the feature and was on his way to the $5000 top prize.  However, front end damages sustained from a meeting between his bumper and the turn three berm ended the night for Elliot.  Robbie Blair inherited the lead and was well on his way to the victory until Jeremy Miller, driving the Buckler Motorsports #24, caught fire.  Miller charged to the high side and engaged Blair in a battle that was a thing of beauty.  The two Pennsylvania wheelmen raced side-by-side for nearly twenty laps.  Lapped cars proved to be costly for Miller as Blair navigated his way back into a lead that he would not relinquish.  Miller came home second ahead of Rod Conley, Mike Balzano, and Jack Pencil.

For the Lux Team, the weekend was a valuable learning experience.  Although the team is not satisfied with their overall performance this weekend, they have to be confident in what lies ahead.  The average car count for each show was 45 cars and Matt qualified for each show without using a provisional.  Matt sits in seventh position in the MACS points and currently holds the lead for the Rookie of the Year title after three events.  The team will be back at Lernerville Speedway on Friday evening as they look to end the dominance of Alex Ferree.  Expect a full field of quality cars as the region's best travel to Sarver, PA to turn some valuable laps in preparation for The Firecracker 100 at the end of June. 

Last Corner Pass Relegates Matt to 2nd Place Finish
5-18-07

Pittsburgh, PA;  The race was not even supposed to happen.  Originally, the team decided to not race in order to perform some much needed maintenance on the cars in preparation for the MACS three day swing this coming Memorial Day weekend.  However, a last minute, Peyton Manning-like audible sent the team to Lernerville on Friday to compete in a weekly show that will have the fans talking for quite some time. 

Alex Ferree has been about as immortal at the Sarver, PA oval as anyone in recent memory.  His four victories in five weekly shows is staggering, considering the competition that frequents the popular 4/10 mile on a regular basis.  His only non-victory resulted in a 2nd place finish.  Something had to give as Western Pennsylvania's finest made their way to Lernerville Speedway this Friday evening. 

The MLR team brought out the blue car after discovering that the bell housing was cracked on the green machine.  The race would give the team one last opportunity to dial in new blue before the team set out to capture the MACS Rookie of the Year. 

Matt started scratch in his heat race and was able to keep his nose clean and cruise to an unchallenged victory; his first heat race victory of the season. 

Starting fourth in the feature, Matt knew that he had to find the bottom of turn one immediately to avoid getting shuffled back in the field.  The green flag flew and the front row starters, Keith Barbara and David Scott, began their crowd-pleasing battle that would last the first half of the race.  A couple of positions back, Matt, Jared Miley, and Dutch Davies exchanged the third, fourth, and fifth spots as each tried to find their groove.  Matt eventually settled into third on lap fourteen and began his charge toward the leaders.  At the same time, Ferree had managed to work his way into sixth from his mandatory 12th starting spot. 

Lap 17 saw Matt slip past the "Slow Ride" and into the runner-up spot behind Barbara.  A caution on lap 18 bunched the field and the double-file restart placed Matt in the unenviable outside pole spot.  Willing to concede first place on the restart in order to find the bottom groove in turn one, Matt executed the move to perfection.  So well did Matt position himself that when Barbara bobbled in turn two, Matt shot passed him down the back stretch and into the lead.  Using the low line, Matt increased his lead to 7 car lengths at lap 22 when the yellow flag dropped.  The double-file restarts at Lernerville have been wildly entertaining for the fans the past two seasons.  However, when your favorite driver appeared to have the race won and the hottest driver in the region is now staring into his rear view mirror, the double-file restarts are about as pleasing as a root canal.  Alex made quick work of Barbara on the restart and the stage was set for some late race drama. 

Matt held off Alex for two laps, but as the two raced down the backstretch on the final lap, everyone in attendance knew what to expect.  As Matt fought his tight racecar to stick to the bottom of turns three and four, Alex drove to the extreme high side of turn three, in search of the cushion.  The motor on the #4 car screamed for help as Alex shot off the high side of turn four.  Matt tried his best to find any bite off the bottom as to not wring the tires.  Matt's effort came up a half car length short as Alex scraped the wall at the flag stand, capturing his fifth victory in six weekly shows at Lernerville. 

Although disappointed, a third straight top five effort improves the confidence of a team that couldn't buy a break in April.  It's already time for the team to put this race behind them and begin to look toward next weekend.  What a weekend it could be...      

2007 Season Off to a Frustrating Start

Matt and the crew entered the '07 season with high expectations.  The team finished '06 with its strongest two months since entering the Late Model class back in 2001.  Unfortunately, the first month of the season has not lived up to the expectations.  This past weekend was supposed to be the breakout weekend; the weekend where the trials of shaking down a new car and engine give way and order is restored. 

The team was scheduled to race at their home track, Lernerville Speedway, on Friday and travel west to Brownstown, Indiana for Saturday's Battle of the Bluegrass $4000 to win show.  Disaster struck on Friday evening as the motor in the green car expired while racing in fourth in his heat race.  This was the same motor that sidelined the team the first week at Lernerville.  Repairs were made, but the team remained skeptical of the life of this tired power plant.  Their suspicions were confirmed as their night ended early. 

The team set off for Brownstown, IN early Saturday morning from Eastern Ohio.  Scheduled repairs to the rig took longer than expected and delayed the departure to Indiana.  After being on the road for less than an hour (it could have been more or less...I was sound asleep), mechanical problems on the rig halted the trip again.  The problems were fixed, but too much time was lost and the trip to Brownstown was shelved. 

Desperately seeking a race to help break the slump, Matt and Michael decided to make the two-and-a-half hour trek south to Crooksville, OH to Midway Speedway.  The decision was made primarily because the team was scheduled to run an ALMS show there in three weeks.  Midway proved to be equally unkind to the team as they scored another DNF due to a broken oil line.  The night started off well enough as Matt set fast time in qualifying.  He started fourth in his heat due to an invert and finished third.  Matt immediately raced from his fifth starting spot in the feature into third and battled with the two leaders for the first half of the race.  A one groove race track caused a freight train on the bottom, rendering a pass virtually impossible.  The bad luck continued when an object, most likely a rock, hit and broke an oil line on the Cornett-powered Rocket #21, causing Matt to pull pit side.

Matt will be back in action this Sunday at Challenger Raceway for Spring Fest 5.  Due to the limitations of just one functioning motor and the MACS schedule looming, the original schedule is subject to change.  Please check back often for updates.  

Matt Lux joins MACS Tour for 2007

Franklin, PA; Matt Lux has announced his intentions to compete for the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series Tour title for the 2007 Season.  In addition, Lux will also be a candidate for the Wrisco Aluminum MACS Tour Rookie of the Year.  Lux, from Franklin, Pennsylvania, has been a regular supporter of the MACS during his career, competing in multiple MACS events annually.  “I’ve always wanted to join a touring series,” commented Lux.  “The MACS is a good fit for us because they are relatively local and their schedule allows us to still hit some big shows around home throughout the season.  The Geesey’s have been good to me and I look forward to being a part of their organization.”

Lux is entering his seventh season of Late Model racing.  His resume includes 8 career victories and a track championship at Gambler’s Raceway Park in 2004.  The 2006 season marked somewhat of a breakout year for the Lux Team.  Despite visiting victory lane just one time, Lux captured 20 top-10 and 10 top 5’s in just 29 Late Model starts.  Lux finished third in points at Lernerville Speedway and scored top fives while competing against the World of Outlaws, MACS, ALMS, and ULMS. 

“We were very pleased with how the last two months of the season went last year,” reflected the humble Lux.  “We learned a lot about the car.  We just hope to carry the momentum into this season.”   

Well aware of the rigors associated with traveling as part of a series, Lux made several upgrades over the off-season.  “We acquired another Rocket Chassis as well as a Cornett Race Engine this winter,” says Lux, referring to his stable that already includes a 2005 Rocket Chassis with a Mark White Race Engine.  “We knew that in order for us to make the full schedule, let alone be competitive, we needed to upgrade our equipment.  With so many good teams competing with the MACS, we need to be at the top of our game every night.”

When asked to predict where he might finish in the points, Lux downplayed the final statistical outcome.  “The primary goal is to limit our DNF’s and hopefully have a competitive car at the end of the season.  I just want to be able to race in September and October.  A good points finish would just be icing on the cake.”   

Despite never being part of a traveling series, Lux could hardly be labeled as a “one-track wonder”.  He has competed at 27 different racetracks in 6 states during his brief Late Model career.  Tracks on the current 2007 MACS schedule in which Lux has not competed include:  Allegheny County Speedway, Skyline Speedway, Central PA Speedway, Eriez Speedway, Bedford Speedway, and Hilltop Speedway.  “We enjoy trying new tracks,” says Lux.  “I’ve always felt that the best way to improve is to get out and run as many different places as possible.”         

When not competing with the MACS, the Lux Team plans to make Lernerville Speedway their regular Friday destination, with some World of Outlaw and unsanctioned shows sprinkled in to the schedule. 

Lux attributes added sponsorship for the opportunity to chase the MACS crown in 2007.  “There is no way that we would be able to do the MACS deal without the help of our sponsors.  We’ve added some new sponsors this year and we are very excited to have them on board.  We are also very grateful for the sponsors that are returning this season.” 

The primary sponsors of Lux’s #21 Rocket Chassis include: AlturnaMats, Gierlach Crushing and Contracting, Maloney Tool and Mold, Fame RV Center, Hilltop Beverage, and Wedge Motorsports.  Matt Lux Racing is pleased to welcome Equipment World Magazine, based out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama to the 2007 team.  Equipment World is a construction industry magazine.  Also, DICA Outrigger Pads, located in Panora, Iowa has recently joined the Lux Racing Team.  Product support sponsors for the Lux Team include:  Fluidyne Radiators, American Racer Tires, Cornett Race Engines, Simpson, and Rocket Chassis.  Lux is also extremely excited to debut his new color scheme, complements of Kris McCool of McCool’s Sportswear Vinyl Signs and Graphics.

Matt Lux joins Cornett Racing Engines drivers list for 2007

By Chris Tilley 

SOMERSET, KY; Matt Lux of Franklin, Pennsylvania is the newest member of Cornett Racing Engines. Lux will pilot a Rocket Chassis in 2007 and a new Cornett Racing Engine under the hood for the first time of his number 21 race-car.  The Matt Lux racing team had 29 starts in 2006 with one win for the fifth year Dirt Late Model competitor. The team also racked up 10 top-five finishes and 20 top-10 finishes during the ’06 campaign.

Lux is a former E-Mod and Street Stock competitor racing at various tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region for the past several years.  Lux plans to compete for the 2007 Rookie of the Year title with the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series. In addition to the ’07 MACS campaign, the team will hit several events in Ohio and Pennsylvania with the World of Outlaws 360 OTC Late Model Series, the newly-formed Independent Racing Series, and the Sunoco American Late Model Series.

Team Partners for Matt Lux Racing include AlturnaMATS Inc., Equipment World Magazine, Dica Outrigger Pads, Gierlach Crushing and Contracting, Maloney Tool and Mold, Fame RV Center, American Racer Tires, Wedge Motorsports, Hilltop Beverage, Simpson Racing, Fluidyne, Rocket Chassis, and Cornett Racing Engines.

For more information on Matt Lux Racing, please log on to their official website located at www.mattlux21.com. For more information on Cornett Racing Engines, please call (606) 678-2226 or log on to www.cornettthunder.com on your web browser.